


Dead Stars Are Falling....

by Meleth_nin



Category: Aquaman (Comics), Batman and Robin (Comics), DCU (Comics), Nightwing (Comics), Robin (Comics), Teen Titans (Comics), Teen Titans - All Media Types, Titans (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:42:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23800276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meleth_nin/pseuds/Meleth_nin
Summary: Dick and Garth - Princes of places they do not belong to. A glimpse into a moment in time when they first gave in to each other's gravitational pull. In time there will be other forces in play that would assert on their sense of duty and obligation; but for now, it is just the circus, this moment, and them.
Relationships: Garth (DCU)/Dick Grayson
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19
Collections: Dick Grayson Rare Pair Challenge





	Dead Stars Are Falling....

**Author's Note:**

> A key principle in physics called the 'universal free fall' states all objects accelerate identically in the same gravitational field. That is, any two objects with mass are attracted to each other through the gravitational force. It is also the key theme in Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity. Similar studies on free falling dead stars hold this up even though we have no deeper knowledge of the enigmatic micro-processes that enable this. 
> 
> _Sounds just like love._

Dick hooted, whirled his arms around his head, and did a weird dance where every body part seemed to be going in a different direction. He laid down the gun, turned around, grinning triumphantly. “Come on!! You have got to say it!” 

Garth laughed, shaking his head - he intended to hold out as long as he could. Dick was looking at him wide-eyed, a wide grin on his face, going “hunh? hunh?” and well, he caved. He always did, with Dick. “Fine! Fine!! You’re the best shot” he rolled his eyes, but couldn’t help the answering grin forming on his own face, “in the seven kingdoms.” Dick cackled and turned back to the smirking barker. Sefina was smirking; she had heard this all before. The Princes had been coming every night for over a week now to duel it out with water pistols. This would be their last night in the capital. 

The circus would usually move south as the heat rose in the capital city, but when news came that Gotham’s young Prince would be part of its delegation, royal messengers had ridden out of the royal stables to Circa’s caravans in the south with special orders to get them to the capital within days. Everyone in the Seven Kingdoms had heard of Gotham’s forbidding King Wayne taking in the circus boy whose parents had fallen to their deaths from the trapeze. Every circus that heard the news had mourned the loss of two of the best in their business and grieved for the orphan they left behind. The Circa was no exception. The boy’s subsequent adoption by the King had sent shockwaves far and wide across the land; in the years since, the lad had built a reputation of his own with rumours swirling about when King Wayne would proclaim him Crown Prince. 

Gotham’s Prince was one of them and no circus would have liked to deny the boy; and Circa’s Yaron Barras was not about to defy his King’s personal request either. The morning the Gotham delegation reached the Capital, the circus was ready to put its best foot forward for a week. The young Prince had attended every night and often asked to be introduced to various acts. The animal enclosure was his favourite, as were the carnival games. The Prince was as affable as his King was grim and he had taught the performers and carnies to drop much of their stiff formality around him. Dick had insisted that first night. “I’m one of you and if I may presume to call you part of my circus family,” – everyone around had nodded vigorously at that (except Yaron, who had frowned) “I’m just Dick Grayson to you.” 

“Alright, kid, what’ll it be?”

Dick smiled at her as he tapped a finger against his lips and surveyed the stuffed animals hanging from the top and sides of the booth. Garth cringed, waiting. He really was not ready for Dick to choose the most humiliating prize and to carry it home. “That one!” Dick’s arm shot out, pointing to an enormous brown kangaroo on the back wall. Sefina giggled, before she stopped herself with a palm pressed to her mouth, and got it down. Garth grumbled that Serafina was choosing sides only because Dick liked Sefina. Really, Garth still couldn’t believe how Dick had blushed when he first saw the red-haired, muscular, tattooed carny. Serafina gave him an amused yet sympathetic look and handed the stuffed animal to Garth. 

Dick cackled, absolutely delighted. Garth looked at the garish thing, with its bright red lips and mocking eyes and the words “It Won’t Suck Itself” printed seriously on its white belly. Garth pouted as Sefina giggled quietly. 

They hadn’t taken a couple of steps away from the booth when Dick suddenly stepped in front of him. Garth stilled as Dick took the hideous toy from him, ripped open the velcro gluing its limbs together and just like that Dick was leaning into him and Garth was overcome by the smell of coconut shampoo, chalk powder, cinnamon, strawberry gum, and the faint aroma of rice cakes from teatime at the Palace. The scent was so distinctly Dick, Garth inhaled deeply, his stomach tightening and surprise evident in his eyes as he felt Dick suddenly sliding his arms around his waist. _No._

Dick was only wrapping the stuffed animal around Garth, legs around his waist, arms looped around his neck and velcro-ed shut behind his back. All innocent; nothing suggestive; move along Garth, he chided himself.

Since meeting a week ago, they’d shared dozens of rice cakes, bad jokes, argued endlessly about the Old Philosophers (where Dick struggled against Garth’s ability to spin language into near flawless philosophical arguments; Dick aced anything that worked on logic and probability, and surprisingly, imagination), read voraciously of each other’s history, and whenever both were available they sparred at the palace ranges, had arm wrestled, held whistling matches and who could sing the most ribald songs – the acrobat and the seaman had far too many – as the Palace staff alternately cringed and blushed; everything, all of it, had been playful and fun. 

But now, Garth was frozen in place. He couldn’t think, he couldn’t breathe, and Dick wasn’t moving away. Dick was watching him with those big sky blue eyes, head tilted slightly to the left. They were so close. Garth shivered at the image and licked his lips. Wracked with anticipation, he wondered if he should initiate something – _Maybe I should kiss him. Should I kiss him? Would he punch me if I kissed him? oh no even Sefina’s watching —_

“Oi!” Kaldur was jogging towards them from the direction of the elephant enclosure.

Dick jerked back and turned towards Kaldur, and just like that, the moment was gone.

“Hey!” Kaldur panted, as he finally caught up to them. “Dick! They let me climb Pio!! He lifted me and I was not scared at all and then he put me down on his back and Dick, you were right, he was so gentle, and he didn’t hurt me, not at all, you should have come, Garth!!” When Kaldur stopped to catch his breath, both the older boys had to laugh at his enthusiasm. Together, they started walking back towards their transports, Dick and Kaldur still laughing and talking about the elephants, and Garth felt a wave of sadness overcome him. The Gotham delegation’s visit was nearly over. They would be leaving the morning after. 

Garth was nearly 17 now. In the winter would be his first war games and a chance to join the King’s Guard as one of the youngest in history – he was already the youngest royal diplomatic delegate – and then in a few years, Garth would have to return to his own Kingdom and claim his heritage. He looked forward to his career as a military man and a diplomat, even with the minefields both careers presented for him. Dick, Dick was going back home soon. Garth knew Dick planned to ask King Wayne to participate in Gotham’s Gauntlet coming summer. No one had won the Gauntlet in over 15 years. The last winner had been Ambassador Dent; back when he was the King’s best friend and favourite, when he was the voice in the King’s ears; something had happened in the years since and he was now Gotham’s representative up north in Saltarepolis. 

Who knows how long before they would ever get to meet each other again. Their paths were fated to be different. While Dick had already been part of Gotham delegations to the other nations a few times; this was the first time he had come to Atlantis. Garth hoped Dick would make an annual tradition of it; Garth hoped the circus would entice Dick to do so. 

Kaldur suddenly chortled. “Would that be your new girlfriend, Garth?” he asked as he pointed his chin at the stuffed kangaroo around him. Garth thought his sudden blush was probably visible through his brown skin. Dick swatted him playfully over his head, “don’t disrespect your elder brother, Kal!” followed by a bashful “sorry Garth” from Kal. Garth thanked his Gods for the seconds of silence because right on his countdown came, “They look good, no. Their children will be a joy to behold” accompanied with a high cackle that had Kaldur doubling over and Garth rolling his eyes at their antics. Someone had to act their age, after all. 

They kept moving towards the exit, Garth falling behind as the two younger boys walked ahead of him with hands on their shoulders. When they passed a cotton candy stand, Dick paused, looked back at him and mouthed, “Can we?” Garth had a feeling Dick wouldn’t think it beneath himself to use the infamous manipulative puppy dog eyes that had the royal kitchen staff competing to put out delicacies for a mere cotton candy; so he rolled his eyes, fondly of course, and nodded. Kaldur had missed the byplay between them so when they stopped at the cart, his eyes widened in disbelief. Garth figured if this was their last night at the circus, a bit of indulgence was alright. 

As they waited for their candies – Dick told Kaldur stories from his circus days, face animated, hands gesturing, eyes twinkling. Off to the side, a little kid started to wail over her dropped ice-cream cone; her mother picked her up and was attempting to soothe her with promises of coming back the next week. Garth was about to take off the stuffed toy to give to the crying child when he remembered why he had it in the first place and the terms of the wager. Hesitating, he looked towards Dick and found himself squarely pinned under a knowing glance. Dick reached forward again, this time to tear the stitched-in insert with the writing, and smiled. Garth detached the toy kangaroo off his body and walked to the beleaguered little family; who hiccupped as she abruptly stopped sobbing and stared at the gift. The child looked longingly at the toy, but then glanced at her mother and shook her head at Garth. Garth swallowed past the sudden lump in his throat and said, “My little brother says he is too old to play with the toy; and so am I. But my friend won this for me and he won’t be happy if I put the kangaroo in storage. If you take it, the kangaroo will, at least, have someone to play with him. What do you think?” The child thought on the offer, looked back at her mother again, and this time when she turned to Garth, she gave him such a sweet toothless smile, that Garth took her little hand and kissed it with a “Thank you, my Lady.” Mother and child giggled and when he walked back to the younger boys, Dick was smirking at him. 

“You are soft, fishboy,” he said nudging his shoulder. 

Kaldur was craning his neck trying to see if his candy was ready. “Oi Kal, did you ask for the candy that is never on time?” Kaldur stilled, turned his head towards Dick and stared. Kaldur may have been only 12 but the boy had figured out early that Dick was the most lethal when he said the most innocuous things. Garth would have said some joke about Kaldur looking more like a bird with his head cocked so; but he had too much affection for the kid to laugh at him. Dick was waggling his eyebrows now and Kaldur’s forehead was furrowing. Garth swatted Dick’s arm, “He wouldn’t know it; palace pupils aren’t allowed it.” 

“So how do you know it?” Kaldur snapped. 

“Because Grayson here is recycling his jokes already,” Garth grinned at a suddenly petulant Dick. “Either you are running out or you are already missing us, hmm?” Dick’s mercurial moods made him a ferocious wolf on the practice grounds; out of it, Garth thought, it made him look like a little puppy. 

Thankfully they were handed their candies then and together began walking to the gates. Kaldur and Dick both got blue while Garth got pink. Dick whispered, “such a softie” - Kaldur snickered but Garth shook his head, “to each his own, this is a free country.” Which made the other two snicker even more. 

“How? We are all monarchies!” Dick argued.

“Well, yes. But Atlantis isn’t anything like Rann; the ancient rules apply equally to all here. Besides, I like vanilla better.”

Dick rolled his eyes. “Of course, you do.”

Kaldur skipped ahead as the transports pulled up to the gates, engines purring. Dick was the first to polish off his candy and when he reached over to pluck a tuft of pink froth from Garth’s, he grinned and offered the whole to Dick. Dick narrowed his eyes. 

Garth grinned innocently, “I have heard tell that growing boys can be quite voracious; besides I’m practically an adult.”

Dick’s eyes narrowed even further, and he got that mulish tilt to his mouth, and before Garth could finish thinking _I’m really in tro…_ Dick had leaned right in and pressed his mouth to his; it was done in a quicksilver flash, and it was barely more than a peck really but Garth’s head was spinning when he pulled back. 

Out here away from the bright lights of the circus tents, the moonlight shone brightly on Dick’s face, eyes dancing, as he watched Garth. Garth would be King one day to his own people and rushing into things was not the way of Kings. But no one had ever called Garth a fool either. 

Garth looked at Dick Grayson – ferocious and brilliant and charismatic. Garth leaned down till their foreheads were nearly touching and cupped his face with a hand, his thumb brushing a cheekbone. “Dick,” he said his voice barely more than a breath.

He angled up Dick’s face and covered his mouth with his own and kissed hard. With the royal delegation set to depart in a day, the kiss was all hunger and desperation – the result of a week of close-quarters working and playing; of watching and wanting. Garth opened his mouth and dragged Dick’s lower lip into his mouth and sucked. Dick’s breath hitched, he rose up on his toes, and then a hand came to splay on Garth’s chest and another tangling in his hair to keep his head still. 

It was like a dream.

Garth deepened the kiss, lips parting Dick’s, tongue slipping into his mouth and he could feel Dick’s body against him. It felt like a fire had been lit in his blood and he wanted more. Garth gripped Dick’s hips and pulled him closer. 

It was dangerous.

Garth licked Dick’s bruised lower lip in a silent apology and opened his eyes. Dick’s eyes were closed and he was breathing hard. He couldn’t help it. He leaned in and kissed – softly, indolently, one more time. 

When they stopped, Dick whispered against his mouth, “I don’t want to stop.” Garth shivered to hear the words; and in that moment, he nearly threw it all away. In years hence, he would thank his Gods for letting him keep a clear head this night; but for now he cursed the Gods for doing this to him and thanked them in equal measure for his good sense, took a deep breath and whispered back, “Neither do I, but we must.” 

"For now," Dick said firmly.

"For now," Garth affirmed. 

Dick nodded. They stole another sweet kiss. As they trudged back to the transports where Kaldur waited, Dick slipped his hand into Garth, and their young hearts were resolved.

They had one last day to plan.


End file.
